The Rise & Fall of UNIVAC

Eckert worked for "UNIVAC" - in its various corporate forms - from the acquisition of his company in 1950 to his retirement in 1989.

The Rise & Fall of UNIVAC

UNIVAC’s starring role in the 1952 election coverage made it a household name. And the company’s acquisition by Remington Rand, an established office equipment firm, gave its producers sound backing. That should have guaranteed long-term success.

It didn’t.

Remington also bought computer-maker ERA in 1952, creating two rival computer divisions. The ERA team was assigned to develop a successor to UNIVAC I…but got little help from UNIVAC’s original creators.

By the mid 1950s, UNIVAC’s lead over IBM had evaporated, thanks to poor marketing, delayed products and new models from IBM.

Sperry Gyroscope was established in 1910 to produce navigation equipment. The successful military supplier bought Remington Rand in 1955, acquiring a computer division eventually known as Sperry UNIVAC. Sperry finally dropped the venerable UNIVAC name in 1984.

Burroughs Corporation acquired Sperry Corporation in a 1986 hostile takeover. The name Unisys was among thousands submitted in a naming competition. The combined company, poised to challenge IBM in the mainframe market, changed direction as mainframes declined.